Australian Politics: The Burqa Ban

An Australian politician has caused uproar on social media after entering the senate chamber wearing a burqa, calling for a ban on the Muslim full-faced veil which she calls “oppressive.” She was immediately chided by the government representative.

Pauline Hanson, the leader of One Nation political party, was dressed in the Islamic garment during Question Time in the Senate, the upper house of the Australian parliament, on Thursday.

She then emotionally took the Muslim veil off, asking Attorney-General George Brandis, the leader of the government in the Senate (acting as its main spokesperson there), to support a nationwide ban on the burqa.

“In light of the national security of this nation will you work to ban the burqa in Australia?” she asked, as cited by the Australian.

Hanson’s One Nation party released a statement, saying that by such a move Hanson called “to ban full-face coverings in public.”

The measure is “an important issue facing modern Australia that needed to be discussed,” it added.

People on social media were divided over the proposed burqa ban and Hanson’s behavior. Some supported the One Nation initiative, saying that the garment is against Australian culture.

“It’s against our culture. So why come here if they won’t integrate….halt immigration,” one person wrote.

Senator Hanson said she made the decision to attend question time in a full face covering because she believed the need to ban full face coverings in public was an important issue facing modern Australia that needed to be discussed.

Senator Hanson said she wished to raise the issue of full face covering presenting a security threat not only to Parliament House, but also to the greater Australian public.

Senator Hanson said that she believed that full face covering, such as the burqa, were oppressive, presented barriers to assimilation, disadvantaged women from finding employment, were causing issues inside our justice system, presented a clear security threat and had no place in modern Western society.

Senator Hanson said that this was a debate that was happening across the world and Australia could not hide from a difficult conversation out of fear of causing offence.

Senator Hanson is scheduled to deliver a speech outlining the full extent of her position later today.

Shayne Heffernan Funds Manager at HEFFX holds a Ph.D. in Economics and brings with him over 25 years of trading experience in Asia and hands on experience in Venture Capital, he has been involved in several start ups that have seen market capitalization over $500m and 1 that reach a peak market cap of $15b. He has managed and overseen start ups in Mining, Shipping, Technology and Financial Services.